EPs

Raw Brigade – Kicking Your Face – Self Released

Raging hardcore from Bogota, Columbia. 6 songs in 7 minutes and 11 seconds. These guys tore a hole through the North East this past summer showing absolutely no mercy. LP in the works so be ready to pick it up in 2019.

Dare – s/t – Reaper Records

This Orange County SXE powerhouse dropped this EP in September. This record showed growth from the flexi they released in 2017. Imagine NYHC bounce mixed with splurges of Cali powerviolence. You will be bedroom moshing the second the needle drops.

Arms Race – The Beast EP – Painkiller Records/QCHC

4 bruisers blasted across the Atlantic from London. Pure hatred drilled into your brain. This is the kind of shit that plays in your head all day while dealing with idiots at work. Go out and buy this bands back catalogue and buy every new release they put out if you actually like hardcore.

Mil-Spec – Changes – Lockin’ Out

These Canadians dropped this killer slab in June and it shook me. 4 songs with lyrical content ment to move. Hardcore with a dash of melody, this disc does not disappoint. As on record, they bring it live as well.” False Spring” is a total Earth shaker. Looking forward to more stuff from these guys.

Crown Court – Mad in England – Goner Records

3 new rippers from this London 5 piece. A perfect mixture of Oi/Punk/Hardcore. If you can’t stomp your feet and raise a fist to you just don’t belong here. Great follow up to the ” Capital Offence” LP that came out in 2016

Restraining Order – s/t – New Age Records

These Western MA/Connecticut dudes really brought some heat with this debut 7″. This is the kind of hardcore punk I wanna hear in 2018 and beyond. 6 bangers created to sing and mosh along too. They are playing out a ton and have a short tour planned for January. These guys are a jolt of fresh air and I am looking forward to the LP on BBB Records.

The Dividing Line – Turn My Back on the World – New Age Records

SXE HARDCORE by way of Philadelphia. Crushing bounce mixed some absolutely pissed lyrics. 6 originals and a cover by The Abused. The perfect soundtrack to put on a varsity jacket and pull off some sick dives. The song ” Not for You” perfectly describes multiple people I have encountered over the years.

Burden – Fate Of A Nation – NxA RECORDS

Originally a one man project of singer/artist Andy Fletcher, he is now backed by a seasoned group of hardcore veteran animals. NYHC with a pinch of oi, this debut 7″ totally eviscerates. 2018 saw these guys play out a bunch and I am lookin forward to what’s to come. Go check out http://www.bornpissed.com and grab this record and a shirt and some art and anything else.

Chain Whip – s/t – Neon Taste Records/ Dirt Cult Records

I blind bought this record and was floored. This Vancouver steamroller hits you with 5 killer tracks of stripped down hardcore punk. This stuff is very reminiscent of 80’s California venom with just enough snot in the vocal delivery. I am hoping they make it out to the East Coast of the United States sometime because I have a feeling that these guys kill it live. ” Why couldn’t I have been born rich?”

LPs

Shark Attack- Discography- Six Feet Under Records

Formed in the year 2000, Shark Attack burst onto the scene playing a brand of hardcore that was not in vogue at the time. Short simple blasts of anger that hark back to the early days of the American hardcore scene. In a little more than a year, they flashed red hot and then road off into the sunset. Finally pressed onto vinyl , this LP contains all of the bands recorded output. 10 originals and 2 covers, its all really perfect. They have recently started to play out again , so catch them if they come to your town. I was once told “Misery loves company” was about me, should I be offended?

Spine – Faith – Bridge 9 Records

This group splits members between Kansas City and Chicago. Midwest stompers all the way through this record. Mixing NYHC with generous handful of middle America anger. This is the bands 2nd LP . Fast parts with sing alongs that come close to flying off of the rails. Vocals that are absolute lave being spit into your face. If “Crumbling Minds” does not get you punching holes into your walls then please get lost. I feel like this record flew under the radar a little bit this year so go buy it then tell a friend to get it too. Shout out to the dude playing on his phone in the live photo on the back of the record.

Shipwrecked – We are the Sword – Foreign Legion Records/ PST Records

The 2nd LP from these Scandinavian monsters. This is the follow up to ” The Last Pagans” with a 2nd guitar added to the mix. The 2nd guitar adds a very intense crunch to the all ready unrelenting 80’s hardcore inspired rippers on here. 6 brand spanking new jams on this slab. Dark angry lyrics accompany these riff laden tunes. These guys bring out Hybrid Werewolf freaks who go bonkers from beginning to end when they play out. This is a must have LP, every bit of recorded output by these guys is 100% must own shit. Great band, great dudes.

No Problem – Let God Sort’em out – Deranged Records

This is the 3rd LP from these Edmonton Punks. Melodic punk from the Great North that shreds. The term “pop punk’ might be thrown around to describe this band but I feel that it does then no justice. 15 tracks including the intro of dark catchy tunes covering everything from Police brutality to mental distress to the Apocalypse. Vocals are delivered in a no nonsense snot filled explosion of anger and anxiety. This record also has the best use of sound bites and spoken word intro’s I have heard in a long long time. Another ripper of  a record from Canada in 2018. GO.BUY.THIS.

Sunshine Ward – Nuclear Ambitions – Bloody Master Records

Local Boston D beat/punk/hardcore rippers. This came out shortly after 2018 was rung in and started the year right with crushing tunes of anger and hatred. The first full length from these guys ( the other 12″ was an EP) does not disappoint. 10 tracks of unrelenting doom that will pummel you. From the first track it feels like a sledge hammer is being driven down onto your skull. Driving drums into parts that can get a room moving back into blitzes of loud angry tunage. Feel like the worlds a festering pile of shit and the powers that be laugh while placing a boot directly onto your forehead? This is the record for you, do not sleep on this.

Against – Welcome to the Aftermath – Radio Raheem/ Cola Dicto

I know this might be breaking the rules of year end lists but I really dug this record. This is a collection of songs recorded in 1983 and 1984. Total Discharge worship from Venice California (check out the photos of the singer in a plain black T-shirt with a charge in the insert.). It is interesting to listening to this now, considering the band that heavily influenced them was in its prime when this was recorded. Driving “d beat” hardcore about everything that sucks. I cannot recommend this enough. Since its on Radio Raheem you get a beautiful jacket with an insert packed with info and photos. Buy this and pretend that you always knew about them .

Other stuff I dug in 2018:

Check out Jason’s Get Into It! Youtube Channel, videos of which we feature here on the Hassle site! – DS